Onmyou Background
The Onmyoudo is the official Imperial name of the various organizations working directly under the Mikado, separate from the Bureaucracy or Samurai families, originally groups of Sons of Heaven that weren't serving as part of the military. The Onmyoudo is a fairly small organization relatively to the size of the Empire, but everyone can recognize an Onmyou when they are around, wearing their colored cloaks and actively helping everyone they can in their own purview. The Onmyou are the scientific minds of the Empire, the religious leaders of the Way of the Stars and those who keep the ancient secrets of the Sons of Heaven. They save lives with their knowledge of medecine, allow the creation of great cities and castles with their knowledge of architecture, bring light and power to industries of the capitals with the secrets of electricity and help with the progress of the science of the Empire, along with blocking the progress that could destroy the Empire. The basic process for chosing a future Onmyou starts in the primary schools across the Empire, where a pupil which has the intellectual capacities and desire is selected and brought up in the Onmyou educational system, with the poorest peasant families being given grants to send their sons and daughters to the various universities. Only about one in ten is selected to actually join the Onmyoudo, but then those who "fail" are still able to perform a trade which will help improve their localities. Those who are selected by the Onmyoudo gain the title of Onmyou and are elevated to a higher stature, but they are officially outside of the standard spectrum of the Celestial Order, technically the equal of samurai but not being allowed the right to rule or lead in the same way. Onmyou generally do not have Weapon Packages , and even those who do are do not gain any weapon focus unless they take the necessary advantage. Onmyou can only progress in Onmyou backgrounds. An Onmyou can learn how to craft a Talisman at any time, spending the necessary XP, but they can only learn to craft Talisman which Aptitude Level is equal to their Insight rank + the associated Ring. An Onmyou Talisman lasts for their Insight Rank + Void days before activation, and continuous talismans last their Insight Rank + the associated ring rounds after activation. Typical Onmyou careers Typical Onmyou are the most common careers an Onmyou can have, serving the Mikado and the Empire all the while controlling the population in the necessary ways. Specialist Onmyou careers Onmyou specialists are, unlike their typical counterparts, more dedicated to one particular discipline or code then others. Most Specialist Onmyou have only 1 technique that they learn, but often gain the ability to craft Talismans when they progress through Insight ranks, rather than having to learn how to craft them on their own. Some Specialist Onmyou also gain Warrior or Warrior-Monk techniques instead of Talismans. Order of the Red Cloak The doctors and medical specialists of the Empire, the Order of the Red Cloak is admired by all and have been a driving force for good since the founding of the Onmyou Orders. Onmyou Advantages Category:L5R Rule conversion Category:Onmyou